BBC, Independent, AP etc. about new laws

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starman 29

a whole bunch of articles today - expect even more later, the AP article will surely appear in loads of newspapers.

There's nothing new really, ie that we didn't know already, the official announcement later today should give more details.

...But she is also proposing that England and Wales go further by criminalising paying for sex with someone who is "controlled for another person's gain". The English Collective of Prostitutes says it sees no reason why consenting sex between adults should be criminalised just because one party pays.

This will be a "strict liability" offence, and ignorance of the circumstances will be no defence in court.

An example: A man approaches a woman who is selling sex. She tells him that she is not being controlled. She gets in his car. Police charge the man with paying for sex. He insists he had no idea she had a pimp - but he still ends up in court and is found guilty. In other words, if you go to a prostitute, it doesn't matter whether or not you know that she is being controlled - you will be charged.

The law will cover activity controlled by a pimp - examples would include a woman who is addicted to drugs and is being offered for sex to clear her debt with her dealer.

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starman 29

Former Lord Chancellor Lord Falconer, Michael Howard MP, Fiona MacTaggart MP and Niki Adams from the English Collective of Prostitutes discuss the Government's plans to make it illegal to pay for sex with women forced into prostitution.